Michel Lazdunski (born 11 April 1938, in Marseille) is a French biologist specializing in biochemistry, physiology, pathophysiology, molecular pharmacology and neuroscience.
During his academic career in Nice/Sophia Antipolis, he was successively Professor of Biochemistry (Faculty of Sciences), Director of Research seconded to the CNRS and Professor of Pharmacology PU-PH (Faculty of Medicine).Michel Lazdunski was a member of the Scientific Council (1997–2001) and the Board of Directors (2001–2005) of the CNRS and the Council of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (1990–1995).
They have also led to the discovery of several new classes of ion channels essential for the sensory perception of mechanical stimuli, heat, cold and acidity.
[5][6][8] These families of channels play an essential role in pain perception but also in synaptic transmission and neuroprotection at the cerebral level, particularly for polyunsaturated fatty acids of the ɯɜ type.
[5][6][10] Previously, Michel Lazdunski and his team had made pioneering discoveries on the CFTR[5][11] channel associated with cystic fibrosis, which indicated the direction to follow for current therapeutic developments on some forms of this genetic disease.